The 2016 Consumer Electronics Show has a definite theme, and it hasn’t been terribly difficult to uncover. The automotive industry is dominating the show’s news cycle, with a host of manufacturers debuting advances in connectivity, autonomous-driving features, and increased links to “The Internet of Things.” Bosch, a foremost supplier to the automotive world, is no different and is showing off a neat haptic-feedback touchscreen, autonomous-driving tech, and enhanced cloud-to-car-to-everything protocols.

First up, that haptic touchscreen. According to Bosch, the display’s haptic feedback is so good it can trick users into thinking they’re using actual hard buttons. Anyone who has stabbed their meat fists at small touch points on glowing screens while also trying to drive a car should have an idea why this technology is useful. As the company puts it, “Drivers can feel the keys on the touch screen without looking thanks to variances in the surface structures?and without immediately triggering an action. Rough, smooth, or even patterned surfaces stand for different buttons and functions.” Huzzah! Bosch is giving infotainment users their future-look cake and letting them stuff their faces with it, too. The tech is comprised of two touch sensors; one is a traditional touch unit, while the other is pressure-sensitive, which allows users’ fingers to flow over the screen to “feel” a button (haptic feedback can repl...